Delawareans!!

[MROO]

Oh no!!! I'm so sorry you just have the one. Hopefully it won't quit and you'll have a healthy happy chick. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you. Are you planning on setting Nankins for the Hatch-a-long or another breed/mix of breeds?

We go into lockdown tomorrow! I'll candle one more time, tonight when I take the turner out, so I'll know if we still have an viable egglets. If we do, hatch could be anytime from Monday morning into late Wednesday. I'm not sure exactly, as I was not very good about marking the eggs as I collected them. Hopefully, I've learned my lesson ... but I doubt it!

 

[MROO]

W

We go into lockdown tomorrow! I'll candle one more time, tonight when I take the turner out, so I'll know if we still have an viable egglets. If we do, hatch could be anytime from Monday morning into late Wednesday. I'm not sure exactly, as I was not very good about marking the eggs as I collected them. Hopefully, I've learned my lesson ... but I doubt it!

Lockdown has commenced ... and we have TWO viable eggs! I am SO glad I kept the questionable one in the incubator, as it continued to develop. It must have been asleep when I candled it the last time. It also appears to be a day or two behind the other, which would account for its not having heavier veining at the time. Tonight, however, it looks GOOD! Its' air cell is slightly smaller than the older egg's, but it's there and it's bigger than it was a week ago. The coloring looks good and I can see a "bump" where it looks like there's a "baby bulge" inside. The older egg looks like there may be an attempt at an internal pip some time tomorrow. I know I can't count my chicks before they hatch ... but I'm starting to get eggcited!
It's been a REALLY rough week at our house, so please cross your fingers and say a quick prayer that these babies make it out alive and well!

 

[MROO]

NANKIN UPDATE! We have a Hatchling!

Meet Pippin/Pippi! He/She entered the world about twenty minutes ago. This is the new baby's official one-minute newborn portrait:

I NEVER get tired of watching a hatch! We still have one egg left in the 'bator, due to hatch tomorrow. I'm hoping that Pip's peeps will motivate the other egglet to get a move on! I'm keeping my fingers crossed ...

 

[MROO]

NANKIN UPDATE! We have a Hatchling!

Meet Pippin/Pippi! He/She entered the world about twenty minutes ago. This is the new baby's official one-minute newborn portrait:

View attachment 1716988

I NEVER get tired of watching a hatch! We still have one egg left in the 'bator, due to hatch tomorrow. I'm hoping that Pip's peeps will motivate the other egglet to get a move on! I'm keeping my fingers crossed ...

Disappointment in the incubator ... the last egg quit on us, probably right after the last candling. We had some big humidity fluctuations about that time, and I'm thinking that's what might have done in the egglet. These little ones are so fragile. Poor Pip is an only, and won't stop complaining about it. Luckily, my sister needs a few replacement hens, so I'll be off to TSC tomorrow to pick up a few pullets to keep our little one company.

 

[adrikeen]

for Pippin/Pippi! And for the quitter. How did your TSC run go? I stopped last Thursday at the Middletown one to pick up food (and of course wound up buying a hen tote and new chicken garden slogs ). They had a large selection of chicks this year but they put the bantams in with a larger breed. I usually go between Elkton TSC and Middletown TSC. Both have their positives and negatives.

It's nice to read you have a house rooster. My avatar, Rupert, was our house roo. I had raised him from a chick. He was best buddies with our youngest cat - got some great photos. Unfortunately on one of his morning outings to visit the girls, something got him. I'm still pissed at my husband because he was working from home and sitting at the computer in the room that connects to our deck. Rupert was dragged off just below the deck and I'm sure you could hear the commotion.

Please post picks of the new baby when you can!

 

[MROO]

for Pippin/Pippi! And for the quitter. How did your TSC run go? I stopped last Thursday at the Middletown one to pick up food (and of course wound up buying a hen tote and new chicken garden slogs ). They had a large selection of chicks this year but they put the bantams in with a larger breed. I usually go between Elkton TSC and Middletown TSC. Both have their positives and negatives.

It's nice to read you have a house rooster. My avatar, Rupert, was our house roo. I had raised him from a chick. He was best buddies with our youngest cat - got some great photos. Unfortunately on one of his morning outings to visit the girls, something got him. I'm still pissed at my husband because he was working from home and sitting at the computer in the room that connects to our deck. Rupert was dragged off just below the deck and I'm sure you could hear the commotion.

Please post picks of the new baby when you can!

So sad about your Rupert! Herman used to come in and out pretty regularly, but he has developed a bit of an attitude since discovering the Great Outdoors. Nowadays, he only comes in when the mood suits him - maybe once a weekend. Sammy and Yukon are regulars, though. None come in quite as frequently as they used to, mainly because it's been so cold that I'm afraid the fluctuation between icy blasts and heated house would get them sick. Once the weather breaks, we'll probably have visitors more frequently.

As far as the TSC trip went, I had no luck at all at Elkton's TSC. The only babies small enough to put in with Pip were some tiny chipmunk-faces, which are probably OEGB. I would have considered a Sebright or maybe another Silkie, but I do NOT need any more OEGBs! I was hoping to pick up some really young standard layer pullets, but the only ones they had were red hybrids that were much too big to share space with out teeny-tiny baby Nankin. I'll try Oxford this weekend. Between their TSC and Oxford Feed and Lumber, maybe I can come up with a buddy or two for Pip.

Pip at just a few hours old. In this pic, s/he isn't quite fluffy, yet, but at least we had a dry baby! That's a standard water bottle in the background and the zipped egg was only two inches long, so that gives some perspective on size. This is one tiny baby ... although from the size of it's complaints, you'd never guess it!

 

[jp57]

Try Route 300 Pets in Smyrna. That is where I get all of my birds from. They have a good selection of breeds, know more than the people working at tractor supply, and the birds come from a close by farm.

 

[Merra]

Hello, I'm a new chick mama... just got our flock yesterday. I'd love to hear from other Delawareans! Dos and don'ts would be nice especially for our REALLY crazy weather lol.

 

[MROO]

So sad about your Rupert! Herman used to come in and out pretty regularly, but he has developed a bit of an attitude since discovering the Great Outdoors. Nowadays, he only comes in when the mood suits him - maybe once a weekend. Sammy and Yukon are regulars, though. None come in quite as frequently as they used to, mainly because it's been so cold that I'm afraid the fluctuation between icy blasts and heated house would get them sick. Once the weather breaks, we'll probably have visitors more frequently.

As far as the TSC trip went, I had no luck at all at Elkton's TSC. The only babies small enough to put in with Pip were some tiny chipmunk-faces, which are probably OEGB. I would have considered a Sebright or maybe another Silkie, but I do NOT need any more OEGBs! I was hoping to pick up some really young standard layer pullets, but the only ones they had were red hybrids that were much too big to share space with out teeny-tiny baby Nankin. I'll try Oxford this weekend. Between their TSC and Oxford Feed and Lumber, maybe I can come up with a buddy or two for Pip.

View attachment 1723145
Pip at just a few hours old. In this pic, s/he isn't quite fluffy, yet, but at least we had a dry baby! That's a standard water bottle in the background and the zipped egg was only two inches long, so that gives some perspective on size. This is one tiny baby ... although from the size of it's complaints, you'd never guess it!

UPDATE - Pippin is shaping up into a nice looking young man. His comb is a bit small, but his personality is huge ... and everything else looks pretty on-track. He's young yet, so we're still in "at-and-see" mode. Fingers crossed!

 

[Organic Gal]

I live so close to Delaware I thought I would introduce myself on this forum as well. I am about 10 miles from the Newark Delaware line. Anyone else in the area?